Kathy... and last week's races

One of the Harriers all-time greats, Cathy Newman, won the South West Veterans A C Grand Prix award for ladies for 2008. This award is based on the average age graded percentage of an athlete’s four best performances over the year.

Cathy’s best performances were 36:49 (89.84%) for the Bideford 10K, 60:07 (90.12%) for the Teignbridge 10 (mile), 80:01 (91.17%) for the Bath Half Marathon and 81:11 (89.86%) for the Great West Half Marathon.

The average age graded percentage was 90.24%. According to fellow Harrier John Perratt, “The rest of us can only dream of those percentages!” Praise indeed, coming as it does from a fellow athlete who has himself won medals on the world stage at the World Masters Athletics Championships.

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Last Saturday, 253 runners completed the Jurassic Coast 10K, a challenging multi-terrain event that takes place along the seafront, cliff paths, river and rural lanes at Budleigh Salterton.

The race was won by James McMullan in 33:18. Congratulations to Harrier Jamie Pearson who was 1st U21 and 8th overall in 37:34.

On Sunday, four Harriers were among the 555 finishers at the Torbay Regatta 10K. Thomas Payn of Winchester & District A C won the race in 31:05 with Exmouth runner Tom Merson of Bristol & West A C 2nd in 31:44.

The first Exmouth Harrier to finish was Carlos Payan, 2nd M30-34 and 20th overall in 37:30. Adrian Kearns came 49th in 40:20.

Congratulations to John Perratt, 1st M65 and 157th overall in 46:22. Stan Mason was 320th in 53:57.

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(LT)

Race the Train

Last Saturday, six Harriers travelled to Wales to compete in the Tywyn Mid-Wales Race the Train 14-mile multi-terrain event that was first held 25 years ago. This year the weather was wet and misty.

Race the Train takes place alongside as far as practicable the route taken by the Talyllyn Railway on its journey to Abergynolwyn and back. The terrain varies all the time and was very wet & muddy in places. The route also ascends and descends quite steep terrain and runs on narrow footpaths with little chance of overtaking. Often the train track is just over the fence so if your family friends are on the train, they can shout encouragement to you at several places.

The classic start to the race is on the crest of the main railway line bridge adjacent to the Talyllyn Railway station. Both the runners and the train are started by the train whistle ordered by the timekeeper.

The course, which is on public roads for just over a mile, runs through the town before heading for Brynglas. At this point the course turns up a farm drive to cross the railway and follow it all the way to Rhyd-yr-Onnen. After the farm drive there is a mixture of tracks and fields. At Rhyd-yr-Onnen you leave the railway and run up a tarmac lane for 1/3 mile, turning on to an un-metalled track running through a ford. From here you return to run alongside the railway over fields, rough pasture, and farm tracks to reach Brynglas.

After climbing up a short stretch of farm road you cross the railway to run the next section with the railway on your right. The first 1.5 miles of this section is over fields and rough pasture to Dolgoch where you cross the car park before ascending across a field to run through trees before dropping down a tricky slope on to fields again. A short run down an unmade track turns back on to well-cultivated pasture all the way to the turn point at 7 miles. After a short run through the field the course leaves for uncultivated sloping hillside, crosses a stream and runs under the railway to climb very steeply. It then runs across the face of the hillside on narrow sheep tracks for over a mile, when it climbs to join the road to return to Tywyn and the finish.

The first Harrier to finish was Hugh Marsden, 28th in 1 hour 36 minutes and 15 seconds. Hugh beat the train by just over 13 minutes !

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Jenny Timms came 242nd in 1:55:43 and Terry Oldham was 367th in 2:2:26.

Congratulations to Lorraine Slight who was 1st FV50 and 459th overall in 2:7:48. Dawn Teed and Phil Bater came 583rd and 584th in the same time of 2:15:57.

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(LT)

You're a runner if...

... your friends think they need to train more before they can run with you
... Every time you see a runner when you're driving you feel like you too should be running, even if you ran 15 miles earlier in the day
... You shower about 20 times a week
... your toenails are black.
... you feel lost without your water-bottle.
... you have running withdrawal symptoms if you don't run everyday.
... you consider work as just a break between runs.
... your room smells ‘interesting’.
... you can count all your ribs
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(end)

Last week's races...

Tuesday, 4th August, saw Round 3 of the Run Exe Summer 5K Series at Exwick won by Exmouth runner Tom Merson, running for Bristol and West A C, in 15:12.

Two Harriers, Carlos Payan and Andy Johnson, were among the field of 59 runners who completed the event. Carlos came 13th in 18:00 and Andy was 21st in 19:26.

Last Sunday, five Harriers lined up amongst the 184 ultimate finishers of the Sidmouth Festival Run over a distance of 10 kilometres.

The starting line was in the blazing sun on the western slope of the Sid valley with an immediate steep climb ascending the cliff for almost one kilometre. At the top of the first steep hill a restrictive gate gave the runners a much-needed early breather with over nine kilometres still to cover. Twists, turns and stairs saw the competitors rise higher and higher up the cliff top before turning inland across moor like conditions.

Despite the recent mini heat wave there were still many wet and muddy areas to negotiate. Once across the golf course at the ninth hole, the route took yet another incline, which graduated to the peak almost five kilometres into the race. Here amongst the woodland splendid views were attained across the Sid valley by those runners able to enjoy the view whilst also keeping a sharp eye on the ground for exposed tree roots and potholes.

With over half the event completed, the course began to descend back to the finish. Burning muscles were stretched out as the ground dropped back towards Sidmouth and the finish line, and the runners completed the race with a sprint due more to the steep decline than the power of the legs.

As with the start, the race was completed in glorious sunshine allowing all competitors to cool down under the sun's rays.

The race was won by Carl Prewer of the Lowestoft Road Runners in a time of 41 minutes and 16 seconds. Well done Dave Stone, who led the Exmouth Harriers home in 3rd place in an excellent time of 41:27, only 11 seconds behind the winner. Bob Woodall finished in 48th place in 52:38.

Congratulations to Ray Elston, who took the award for the 1st V70 and was 70th overall in 56:48. Jim Wyatt, second V60 and 86th overall in 58:44, was unlucky to miss the 1st V60 award by one place and just 5 seconds.

Les Turner completed the Exmouth Harrier contingent in 106th place in 61:04. The last competitor crossed the finishing line in a time of 1 hour 58 minutes and 44 seconds.

As the organisers advertised in their literature, the race was not one for personal best times, but one to enjoy and I can confirm that some of the views were truly breathtaking.

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(LT)

You're a runner if...

... you have hundreds of safety pins scattered around your house
... you love running in the rain
… you can say “runner’s nipple” in mixed company
... you carry a water-bottle everywhere
... you double knot all your shoes out of habit
... you have a watch tan that never goes away
... you feel naked without your stopwatch on
... you pack a separate bag for your running clothes
... pasta is the only food you'll eat for two nights before a race
... you try to convince people to run a 5k because it's "only 3 miles”

Totnes 10k

Last Sunday, an exceptionally large contingent of seventeen Harriers was among the 448 runners who completed the Totnes 10k off-road race. All finished the course in good individual times and returned with a nice collection of trophies between them to show for their efforts.

The start of the race around the cricket pitch is quite hectic with runners jostling for positions before the first of two ninety degree bends sees the route meander along the course of the river bend. This is the widest section of the course enabling runners to overtake. Despite heavy recent rain the conditions for the first three and a half kilometres was reasonably dry.

Shortly after the first water station the route entered the woods and conditions underfoot deteriorated. The course now turning away from the river started to incline. Two series of muddy steps interspersed with long inclines saw the foot conditions worsen and sticky mud and puddles were encountered. The incline seems to rise for over two kilometres before reaching the summit and a fast concrete path led the runners back to the last drink station. From here the course levels out to almost flat conditions allowing the faster runners to drop a gear and increase speed for the home run. By now the packs were thinly spread and the finishing order was nearly depicted with three kilometres to run.

The last two ninety degree bends before the lush green of the cricket pitch allowed the final negotiating for places. Entering the park and the perimeter of the cricket pitch with the finish line in view saw attempts at the last sprint finishes. Some runners lost finishing places, being overtaken in the home straight, but the competitors lower down in the field were more than glad to be home and across the finish line.

This gruelling race, which started at 11.00 am in warm, humid conditions, was won by James Baker of the Chichester Runners & AC in a time of 35:35, a blistering average speed of 5:43.5 per mile. The last competitor finished in 122:30.

Congratulations to the ladies team of Hannah Dupain (103rd in 49:01), Emma Dupain (115th in 50:32), Dawn Teed (168th in 53:50) and Lorraine Slight (175th in 54:10) who won the ladies team event.

Exmouth came second in the men’s team event with Dave Stone (13th in 39:23), Hugh Marsden (19th in 40:44), Carlos Payan (24th in 41:40), Adam Miller (28th in 42:13), Paul Samways (29th in 42:15) and Pete McKeown (42nd in 43:45).

Congratulations to Hugh Marsden who won the individual award for the 1st V50. Also, to John Perratt who was 1st V70 and 136th overall in a new course record of 51:53 with Ray Elston 2nd V70 and 156th overall in 52:51.

Chris Dupain was 91st in 48:13 with Bob Woodall 95th in 48:32. Terry Oldham finished 123rd in 51:08 and Nigel Dupain was 185th in 54:48. Jim Wyatt came 207th in 56:27.

(LT)

You're a runner if...

... there's nothing like intervals to start the week off fresh!!
... you talk to your training partner more than your parents
... you run when you feel like it, be it 6am or midnight
... you do anything to try to heal an injury except go to a doctor because you know he will just tell you to "stop running."
... you wear a black, plastic sports watch with your dress clothes
... you can remember a time from a race 4 years ago, but you can't remember your friend's birthdays
... your heart rate is below 50 and you are not dying
... you know how many grams of carbs there are in a banana.
... you can name a person from Namibia, Djibouti and Zimbabwe

... you are not embarrassed to show someone of the opposite sex where your hamstring "really" hurts.
... girls: you are embarrassed to wear a bikini because of your shorts/bra/tank-top/t-shirt tan lines